Giacomo Puccini – Manon Lescaut - 1893

Rare original Ricordi libretto, published in 1893 and printed “in lieu of manuscript.”
It is the first absolute edition of the Manon Lescaut libretto, corresponding to the year of the opera’s first performance.

This copy is particularly precious due to the presence of contemporaneous handwritten annotations relating to the 1893–94 Season of the Coccia Theatre in Novara, with the opening date (December 21, 1893) and the complete cast of the performance of the revised version of the work.
It concerns the first performance after the absolute premiere in Turin.

Among the named performers are figures of great historical significance:

Ettorina De Marzi – Manon
Giuseppe Borgatti (who would become one of the greatest Italian tenors) – Des Grieux
Ruggiero Astillero – Lescaut
Pietro Maini - Edmondo
Navarri, Quairini, Faccenda
Conductor: Carlo Carignani

These notes constitute direct testimony of the opera’s theatrical circulation in 1893, and make this copy unique of its kind.

Bibliographic data
Title: Manon Lescaut
Author: Giacomo Puccini
Publisher: G. Ricordi & C., Milan
Year: 1893
Edition: First edition
Pages: 61
Format: In-8° (about 20 × 13 cm)
Binding: Editorial soft cover
Original price: “Lire UNA” on the back cover
Ricordi plate number: 96313 (on the title page)
Ricordi blind stamp: present on the cover
Handwritten notes: cast and date of the 1893–94 Coccia Theatre season in Novara
Pencil note on the back: vintage mark, probably indicating location or ownership

Condition:
Complete copy.
Normal signs of aging compatible with its age and theatrical use, but sturdy structure and fully legible text.
Cover with usual signs of use; spine with age-related wear but stable.
Widespread foxing typical of paper of the period, present on many pages, not compromising readability.
Small marginal tear on the last page, with no loss of text.
No signs of mold, active humidity, or unpleasant odors.

Collector’s relevance
This libretto is not just a Ricordi first edition: it is a historical document tied to the opera’s initial circulation.
The contemporaneous Coccia Theatre annotations (1893–94) with the Borgatti–De Marzi cast make it a piece of great interest for:
Puccini collectors, scholars of musical theater history, Ricordi material collectors, and fans of Giuseppe Borgatti."}